- Source: List of Ryukyuans
This article lists notable Ryukyuans, the indigenous people of the Ryukyu Islands in East Asia.
Martial arts
Sōkon Matsumura
Ankō Itosu
Ankō Asato
Kenwa Mabuni (Shitō-ryū)
Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan)
Chōjun Miyagi (Gōjū-ryū)
Chōki Motobu (Motobu-ryu)
Tatsuo Shimabuku (Isshin-ryū)
Kanbun Uechi (Uechi-ryū)
Kentsū Yabu (Shōrin-ryū)
Academics, journalism, and literature
Sai On
Shō Shōken
Tei Junsoku
Iha Fuyū
Higashionna Kanjun
Ōta Chōfu, journalist
Tatsuhiro Oshiro, novelist
Kushi Fusako, novelist
Music
Namie Amuro
Begin
Beni
Cocco
Da Pump
Gackt, singer-songwriter and actor
Chitose Hajime
High and Mighty Color
MAX
Mongol800
Orange Range
Speed
Stereopony
Visual arts
Mao Ishikawa, photographer
Yuken Teruya
Chikako Yamashiro, filmmaker
Entertainment
Yui Aragaki, actress known for her role in the television drama The Full-Time Wife Escapist
Rino Nakasone, choreographer
Fumi Nikaido, actress
Manami Higa, actress known for her role in the film My Teacher
Sports
Nagisa Arakaki, baseball player
Hideki Irabu, baseball player
Yukiya Arashiro, bicycle racer
Kazuki Ganaha, football
Yoko Gushiken, boxer
Akinobu Hiranaka, boxer
Katsuo Tokashiki, boxer
Daigo Higa, boxer
Ai Miyazato, golfer
Ken Gushi, drifter
In Hawaii
Yeiki Kobashigawa, U.S. World War II soldier and Medal of Honor recipient
Yoshi Oyakawa, Olympic gold medalist
Ethel Azama, singer
David Ige, former governor of Hawaii
Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele player
Ryan Higa, YouTuber
Michael S. Nakamura, or Nakandakari; former Honolulu Chief of Police
Other parts of the United States
Kishi Bashi, musician
Yuki Chikudate, singer
Tamlyn Tomita, actor
Brian Tee, actor
Natasha Allegri, storyboard artist
Dave Roberts, baseball player and coach
Maya Higa, YouTuber and conservationist
Throughout the world
Takeshi Kaneshiro, actor in Taiwan
GACKT, singer in mainland Japan
Sakura Miyawaki, singer in South Korea, member of the idol group Le Sserafim
Notable fictional characters
Mr. Miyagi, played by Pat Morita from the Karate Kid trilogy
Mugen from the anime series Samurai Champloo
Mutsumi Otohime from the manga series Love Hina
Maxi from the Soulcalibur series of video games
Ryota Miyagi from the manga and anime series Slam Dunk
Yuri Miyazono, the lead protagonist of the Witchblade: Ao no Shōjo novels
Nanjo Takeshi, Arakaki Mari, and Ryuzuka, characters in the 1973 film Bodigaado Kiba: Hissatsu sankaku tobi
Shisa from the manga and anime series Chiikawa